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This restaurant will always be one of my favorite! I couldn't believe the herb bread, fresh from the oven, the quality of the shrimp salad -- such tender shrimp! -- the chicken picatta...I could go on!!The waiters, the owner, all the staff, are so nice and personable. Wait! I need to go back NOW!! YUMMMMM!!!

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Thank TropicalSanDiego

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

This is a family run restaurant. Alex greets you with a big smile, and his wife Teresa cooks the food. They are very fun hosts, and let you know how much they appreciate your business. All of the recipes come for their families. Lasagna is delicious. Give them a try...

2 Thank El-Guapo-de-La-Noche

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Great food with spot-on flavors. Genuinely friendly service that is so hard to find. Price, middle of the road. Close to perfection.

I followed the waiter's recommendation: Italian sausage (made in house), on top of pasta and meat sauce, with the green salad, and the bread that comes with the meal. Accompanied by a glass of pinot noir.

All fresh and tasty, delivered to the table at the proper temperature and in a timely but not rushed manner. The wine paired nicely with the meat, the salad (chocked with assorted veggies) offset the heavy nature of sausage and pasta, and the bread was soft as a pillow, so good. Water refills and empty dishes taken away politely.

They've got a great system here that treats the customer like the special person they are.

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2 Thank tooluser

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

It is exactly as I wrote in the title of this review. This is a very nice, intimate Italian restaurant in Poway. Family-owned and operated. Food selection was overwhelming to me as I was very hungry. I made a last minute decision and did not regret it (but from seeing what everyone else was served, I don't think you can make any wrong decision as for the food selection). I don't expect a Claimjumper-sized tray of food put in front of me, but I was rather disappointed that my $14 entrée is that and nothing more - no salad, no soup, no veggies on the side, nada. I would have stocked up on bread, but even that was provided in very limited portions. For a group of 8 I would have expected the service to be a little more on top of it.

The food was understandably high-priced. They are trying to present this to be a fine restaurant, but the location, in a strip mall next a Five Guys, Japanese restaurant that might disappear when we all wake up tomorrow, a Little Ceaser's, and a liquor does not project that setting. Furthermore, this area thrives on the business lunch crowd, but at >$10 for a plate of food, this would not be my first choice (or any choice) for lunch.

I feel really bad for the business owners writing this, but, man, c'mon and do your homework. I swear there is a curse in Poway for non-chain restaurants. First of all, there are so many. More than is needed. New places seem to pop up each month and then last about 2-3 years. I won't go into any specifics, but there are a number of properties (more than I can count on my hands) that have seen at least three different restaurants in them during the past 7-8 years.

I will return to Mamma Teresa's, but it will be when a vendor is taking me out to eat or when I can expense it on the company dollar. Oh, and I will be sure to order an appetizer and/or salad.

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Thank uclalum

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.